I don't understand the point of a tune-up fight. He's been fighting professionally for years, he should know exactly how good of shape he needs to be in to be competitive at that level. If he gets rusty after not fighting for awhile, that's what a training camp is for, to get him back to that point.

Feb is still 7 months off, He should have been stripped a long time ago.

I don't get that. The guy hasn't lost in forever and he has, at the very least, made attempts to come back. Why do you want him stripped so much? Just to have a different guy? Makes no sense. If the timetable wasn't there I'd say it was ok to hand title over to Barao...but he also got hurt at 161. So basically you're at square one if you strip Cruz and give the title to another injured guy.

I don't get that. The guy hasn't lost in forever and he has, at the very least, made attempts to come back. Why do you want him stripped so much? Just to have a different guy? Makes no sense. If the timetable wasn't there I'd say it was ok to hand title over to Barao...but he also got hurt at 161. So basically you're at square one if you strip Cruz and give the title to another injured guy.

It's not about stripping him just because Barao is the champion. The job of a champion is to defend his belt first and foremost. The champion can get injured and it happens all the time, but Barao won't be out that long and is back to defend against the guy who was the number one contender in the first place. There's a difference between being injured for a month or two and being out so long that the last time Cruz defended Demetrious Johnson was a bantamweight. Cruz, on the other hand, by February will have been out 2 years and 4 months. Name any job where business will hold up for one individual just because they had a timetable for a return. That is exactly what the UFC has done for Cruz. People need to stop making excuses for Cruz. He should have been stripped long ago and when he got back he would have been the #1 contender.

It's not about stripping him just because Barao is the champion. The job of a champion is to defend his belt first and foremost. The champion can get injured and it happens all the time, but Barao won't be out that long and is back to defend against the guy who was the number one contender in the first place. There's a difference between being injured for a month or two and being out so long that the last time Cruz defended Demetrious Johnson was a bantamweight. Cruz, on the other hand, by February will have been out 2 years and 4 months. Name any job where business will hold up for one individual just because they had a timetable for a return. That is exactly what the UFC has done for Cruz. People need to stop making excuses for Cruz. He should have been stripped long ago and when he got back he would have been the #1 contender.

In that time he's really only missed two championship fights. He missed July 2012 after TUF vs. Faber (Barao replaced) and then he missed a potential title defense against MacDonald in Feb 2013. I think if today there was still no timetable and Barao had fought at 161 they could strip him, but now that there is a date and Barao won't fight until 165 so the timing matches up perfectly. He won't even be on the shelf for two years if he comes back in February. He officially pulled out of the Faber fight in May 2012 so its only been 15 months so far.

Cruz is my least favorite fighter. Barao is way more exciting to watch than Cruz. I don't see Cruz beating Barao after such a long lay-off so I'm glad he won't be getting a tune-up. If they haven't stripped him yet and he's on the way back, no point in stripping him now.

In that time he's really only missed two championship fights. He missed July 2012 after TUF vs. Faber (Barao replaced) and then he missed a potential title defense against MacDonald in Feb 2013. I think if today there was still no timetable and Barao had fought at 161 they could strip him, but now that there is a date and Barao won't fight until 165 so the timing matches up perfectly. He won't even be on the shelf for two years if he comes back in February. He officially pulled out of the Faber fight in May 2012 so its only been 15 months so far.

In my view I will use the words of Dana White, " You are only as good as your last fight." The last he fought was October 2011. You can use the argument that he only missed two championship fights but I would say by the time he likely returns in February he will have missed 5 scheduled bouts (2 with Faber that were rescheduled, the interim belt with Barao/Faber, the one title defense with Barao, and the upcoming defense in September). On the other hand, GSP, who also had a significant injury was just out a year and a half from the time he fought Shields to his return with Condit.

Also, we are both assuming that Barao is right and he is coming back in February. What if that isn't the case? As I said before I can't name a single person where the undisputed belt was held for literally 2 full calendar years with not one defense, and he got to keep his belt. Also, it sets a bad presendence (Spelling?). At what point do we strip someone of the title and is it fair to Barao to call him an "interim" champion (assuming he wins in September) when he has just as many title defenses in the UFC as Cruz?

At the fan expo in July, Cruz said he was progressing well and would be ready to go by December, so February would make a lot of sense depending on how healthy Barao/Wineland is after 165 at the end of September.

I still think Cruz would be better off not fighting Barao on his return. Barao is a beast, and coming back from so long will be extremely difficult, especially considering the style of Cruz revolves around his movement. Someone mentioned that his training camp should be enough but it's not the same as actually having a fight.

I think the stripping talk is, was and always will be a load of shite.

If a champion is injured and can't fight, he can't fight. You create an interim title and until the champ can return or retires (permanently or from the promotion), he's still the champ. If he does retire, then the interim belt retroactively becomes the championship belt. If he's non-injurious ducking/jail time, then and only then does stripping become an option.

In my view I will use the words of Dana White, " You are only as good as your last fight." The last he fought was October 2011. You can use the argument that he only missed two championship fights but I would say by the time he likely returns in February he will have missed 5 scheduled bouts (2 with Faber that were rescheduled, the interim belt with Barao/Faber, the one title defense with Barao, and the upcoming defense in September). On the other hand, GSP, who also had a significant injury was just out a year and a half from the time he fought Shields to his return with Condit.

Also, we are both assuming that Barao is right and he is coming back in February. What if that isn't the case? As I said before I can't name a single person where the undisputed belt was held for literally 2 full calendar years with not one defense, and he got to keep his belt. Also, it sets a bad presendence (Spelling?). At what point do we strip someone of the title and is it fair to Barao to call him an "interim" champion (assuming he wins in September) when he has just as many title defenses in the UFC as Cruz?

imo in order to be the champ you have to beat the champ, so if they stripped Cruz right now and Cruz were to come back sometime in 2014 I would still believe Cruz is the champ until he loses or retires.

imo in order to be the champ you have to beat the champ, so if they stripped Cruz right now and Cruz were to come back sometime in 2014 I would still believe Cruz is the champ until he loses or retires.